Mayor Lisa Sulka is running unopposed for re-election and two political newcomers are challenging return bids by Bluffton Town Council members Fred Hamilton Jr. and Allyne Mitchell.

The field was set when candidacy filing for the Nov. 8 election closed at noon Friday, presuming all meet residency and voter registration requirements, said Town Clerk Sandra Lunceford.

The last time a mayoral candidate was unopposed was in 2000, when Hank Johnston won his first of two consecutive terms. Sulka served a council term before defeating then-Councilman Charlie Wetmore in the November 2008 mayoral race.

Ted Huffman, owner of Bluffton BBQ on State of Mind Street and a political newcomer, filed for council about an hour before the deadline.

The other political newcomer, Karen Lavery, filed on Aug. 30, the day after Hamilton filed. She is perhaps best known as the 2010 Bluffton Rotarian of the year winner and the Rotary-run Bluffton Village Festival’s 2010 event chairman.

Sulka, 51, of 37 Stock Farm Road, on Thursday said if she wound up unopposed, “I hope that means people are happy with what I’m doing.” She said she would still campaign and go to candidate forums.

A real estate agent, she is seeking re-election because “I love this town” and her expiring three-year term was “almost too short. I feel like there’s so much more I still want to do and be a part of,” she said.

“Two terms is a good time-frame for anyone to hold a seat. That gives you two-to-three years to get your feet wet” and then carry out goals.

Sulka, Hamilton and Mitchell are completing three year terms, the last step in a transition to move the council’s staggered elections to fall in odd-numbered years and have four-year terms.

Huffman, 56, of 5 Jason St. in the Calhoun Street Promenade, is a 25-year Bluffton resident. “I love Bluffton, and I want to serve Bluffton. I’m a common sense guy. I’m not a politician; never will be,” he said. “More than anything I feel like it’s just the right time to stir things up and offer a change. The common sense I have will hopefully balance what’s been going on.”

Lavery, of 244 Cross Road in The Townes at Buckwalter, said she’s lived in Bluffton more than 20 years. She did not give her age. “I have been involved with the organization of many town events and have discussed many town government policies and have not agreed with some of the directions Bluffton is going.”

Hamilton, 52, of 52 Goethe Road, owns Special Auto Deals. He is in his sixth year on the council and is mayor pro tem. “I’m a native of Bluffton and I have a vested interest in my community and that’s why I have passion to serve,” he said Friday.

He said he’s a graduate of the Municipal Government Institute and, “in the six years I’ve served, I’ve never missed any council meeting.”

Mitchell, 60, of 27 Lakeside Drive in Hidden Lakes, also is a Bluffton native. She stepped down this year as manager of The Savannah Bank branch in Bluffton. She’s running again ““because I learned so much in my freshman term in office, and after attending the numerous S.C. Municipal Association classes she learned many things, “classes at the Municipal Association she learned many things, including “how we as leaders, with the economy the way it is, we need to look at new ways of bringing in green jobs and redevelopment.”

A runoff election, if necessary, would be on Nov. 22. Winners will be seated in January for four-year terms.

Council seats held by Mike Raymond and Oliver Brown up for election in 2013.

Sulka was an outgoing council member in November 2008, when she defeated then-Councilman Charlie Wetmore for mayor.

She became Bluffton’s first female mayor since the town incorporated in 1852 — 88 years before women gained the right to vote in the United States.

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I have lived here for four years and all I have seen from her is a ruining of Bluffton. I have seen development after development get ok'd. (Really how many more do we need and how much more land is she going to let get destroyed) this also goes for all the empty office building around here yet this council keeps okaying more buildings getting built. (sitting empty) How about the widening of 248 another eyesore this will create for her once beautiful little town. She can't keep the medeims mowed and looking presentable as it is. And oh yeah lets build some more low income houseing and just keep renaming the streets with the Simmonsville.

It would be nice if the individuals running for the council seats made sure all their ducks are in a row.....I do not see that Ted Huffman has a current business license to operate his BBQ. I would have thought that since there was a recent fundraiser for him that the first thing he would have done is get a current business license. Every other business has a license....I'd like to know how he can get away with not having one. If his license is listed in another place then it is my mistake and I apologize in advance. I would think that with all the problems that have come to light in association with seats held it would not be wise to start out with shady ethics - People need to get involved if they want Bluffton to be a stand out tourist place. If residents want to make a change then hold people accountable.